Coffin-handle



(No Model.)

W. HAMILTON.-

GOPFIN HANDLE.

Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

LI'LlTTT- 5525'.- yiww UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

\VILLIAM HAMILTON, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

COFFIN- HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,018, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed November 29, 1886. Serial No. 220,121. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM IIAMILTON, of Allegheny City, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coffin-Handles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a neat and ornamental means of carrying a coffin, which shall at the same time be perfectly secure and convenient for carriage and afford no possibility of rattling or noise. For this purpose I employ cord handles fastened to the coffin by my improved method, by means of which the cord can be made continuous around the coffin, and is kept at a uniform tightness and prevented from drawing through the fastemngs.

Heretofore metal handles or handlelugs, through which pass handle-bars, have been used, whereby the carriage of the coffin has been made difficult and awkward, the handles being rigid, and often giving rise to jolting and rattling.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of a coffin, showing a cord fastened thereto by my improved device. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing a modification of the arrangement of the cord. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detached view of the stop of the fastening in engagement with the cord. Fig. 4 is a rear View of the cap. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center of the whole fastening in connection with the cord.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My improved fastening consists, essentially, of two partsfirst, astop or clamp; secondly, a cap. The stop may be any suitable device on the cord preventing it from passing out of the cap. For instance, it may consist simply of a knot in the cord, over which the cap is placed, the apertures of the cap being only of sufficient size to permit the passage of the cord, and the knot lying in the cavity of the cap.

The following device is a particular application of my invention: The stop Ais formed of two pieces of metal, a a, of such a curve that when placed together in the manner shown in Fig. 5 they form an oval passage, the shorter axis of which is less and the longer axis slightly greater than the diameter of the cord. The pieces a a are provided with flanges cc, in which are bored corresponding holes, through which pass the screws (Z (1, fast ening the pieces a a tightly together.

The cap B, Fig. 4, is made to fit closely over the stop A in the manner shown in Fig. 5. For this purpose it contains a semicircular concavity, B, of such height and length that the stop A fits snugly therein, the bottom of the stop A and cap B being nearly flush with one another.

On each side of the concavity B" are apertures d (1, preferably of arch form, concentric with each other and with the stop A, and of sufficient size to admit the cord which is to be used. The cap B is continued above and below the concavity B to form flanges b b, which lie evenly on the side of the coffin, and are fastened thereto by screws passing through holes I) b therein.

The operation of these devices is as follows: The two pieces a a are placed one beneath, the other upon, the cord E, and then tightly screwed together, by which the cord is compressed between thein and is made to take an oval form, the space formed by the stop A permitting of the expansion of the cord. The cap B is then placed over the step A and screwed down to the coffin in the required place.

The cord may be continuous around the coffin, and as many of these fastenings used to support it as are necessary.

Fig. 2 shows a modification in which separate handles are used. In this case the caps B will be made with a single aperture, d,- but the knot or stop or other device will act in the same manner as above.

I claim- 1. As acoffin-handle, the combination, with the coffin, of caps having concavities and lateral apertures of less width than the concavities, and a cord handle having stops, said caps being bolted to the coffin overthe stops to conover the stops to confine the cord handle, which 10 passes through the lateral apertures, substantially as and for the purposes described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of November, A. D. 1886.

WILLIAM HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, JOHN K. SMITH, 

